americanisation

IPA/ɐmˌɛɹɪkˌanaɪzˈeɪʃən/
IPA/ɐmˌɛɹɪkˌænəzˈeɪʃən/

americanisation — noun

1. the process through which a place, organisation, or way of life takes on feature

1.nounB2
Definition

the process through which a place, organisation, or way of life takes on features typical of the United States and its people or customs

Example

American fast food chains across Asia are often seen as a sign of americanisation.

sign of americanisation

Critics argue that americanisation has weakened local traditions in small European towns.

americanisation has weakened local traditions

Common collocations
  • americanisation of [country/culture/industry/media]
  • resistance to americanisation
  • gradual americanisation
  • the spread of americanisation
  • americanisation of the curriculum
Synonyms
  • westernisation

    broader term that includes European as well as American influence

  • US influence

    softer, less ideological tone; focuses on impact rather than process

Antonyms
  • localisation

    the effort to preserve or strengthen local identity against outside influence

  • indigenisation

    making something more native or locally rooted, often in post-colonial contexts

Usage Note

Often appears with the preposition 'of' to specify the domain or region affected (e.g. 'the americanisation of the media'). The US spelling variant is 'Americanization'.

Common Mistakes

An americanisation of the food culture has occurred.
The americanisation of the food culture has occurred.
as a specific, identifiable process, this noun usually takes the definite article 'the'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Americanisation specifically refers to adopting features of United States culture, business, or values, whereas westernisation covers a broader range of European and North American influences. Globalisation is even wider — it describes the worldwide integration of economies and cultures without singling out any one country's influence. Cultural imperialism implies a more forceful, one-sided imposition, often with negative political overtones, while americanisation can be gradual and sometimes voluntary. For example, a town opening a McDonald's might be called americanisation, but calling it cultural imperialism would suggest coercion, and calling it globalisation would ignore the specifically American origin of the chain.

americanisation ↗westernisationglobalisation ↗cultural imperialism

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • americanisation of [domain]
  • resistance to americanisation

Prepositions

Etymology

EnglishLatinFrench

Formed from 'American' (referring to the United States) plus the suffix '-isation', the British spelling of '-ization'. The concept emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as writers and scholars observed the growing cultural and economic reach of the United States into other countries. The US spelling 'Americanization' is more common in American English sources.